Section 296-62-09560 - Information and training(1) All employees and supervisors must be trained as required by this section prior to outdoor work where occupational exposure to heat might occur and at least annually after the initial training. Training must be provided in a language and manner the employee or supervisor understands.(2) Employee training. Effective training on the following topics must be provided to all employees who may be exposed to outdoor heat:(a) The environmental factors and other work conditions (i.e., workload, work duration, personal protective equipment, clothing) that contribute to the risk of heat-related illness;(b) General awareness of personal factors that may increase susceptibility to heat-related illness including, but not limited to, an individual's age, physical fitness, degree of acclimatization, medical conditions, drinking water consumption, alcohol use, previous heat-related illness, pregnancy, and use of medications that affect the body's responses to heat. This information is for the employee's personal use;(c) The importance of removing heat-retaining personal protective equipment such as nonbreathable chemical resistant clothing during all breaks;(d) The importance of frequent consumption of small quantities of drinking water or other acceptable beverages;(e) The acclimatization requirements under WAC 296-62-09545, the concept of acclimatization, and the importance of the following considerations: (i) Frequent cool-down rest periods;(ii) Gradual increase of work duration in the heat; and(iii) Employees are unable to build a tolerance to working in the heat during a heat wave;(f) The importance of taking preventative cool-down rest periods when employees feel the need to do so in order to protect themselves from overheating;(g) The mandatory cool-down rest periods under WAC 296-62-09547 when the outdoor temperature reaches or exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit;(h) The employer's procedures for providing shade or other sufficient means to reduce body temperature, including the location of such means and how employees can access them;(i) The different types of heat-related illness, the common signs and symptoms of heat-related illness;(j) The importance of immediately reporting signs or symptoms of heat-related illness in either themselves or in co-workers to the person in charge and the procedures the employee must follow including appropriate first aid and emergency response procedures; and(k) The employer's procedures for close observation of employees for signs and symptoms of heat-related illness.(3) Supervisor training. Prior to supervising employees working in outdoor environments with heat exposure at or above the temperature levels listed in WAC 296-62-09530(2) Table 1, supervisors must have training on the following topics: (a) The information required to be provided to employees listed in subsection (1) of this section;(b) The procedures the supervisor must follow to implement the applicable provisions of WAC 296-62-095 through 296-62-09560;(c) The importance of considering the use of engineering or administrative controls such as air-conditioning and scheduling work during the cooler hours of the day in order to reduce employees' exposure to heat;(d) The procedures the supervisor must follow if an employee exhibits signs or symptoms consistent with possible heat-related illness, including appropriate first aid and emergency response procedures; and(e) Procedures for moving or transporting an employee(s) to a place where the employee(s) can be reached by an emergency medical service provider, if necessary.Wash. Admin. Code § 296-62-09560
Amended by WSR 23-14-042, Filed 6/27/2023, effective 7/17/2023Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.060. 08-12-109, § 296-62-09560, filed 6/4/08, effective 7/5/08.